QUEENS, N.Y. – A Queens man who admitted to fatally shooting a well-known tarot card reader he believed had cursed his family has been sentenced to 23 years in state prison, closing a case that deeply rattled the Ozone Park community and devastated the victim’s loved ones.
A Broad-Daylight Killing That Shook a Neighborhood
The fatal encounter unfolded in May 2022, when 45-year-old Giuseppe Canzani, a former NYC Department of Transportation employee from Howard Beach, arrived at the Ozone Park home of 51-year-old Anna Torres, a spiritual adviser and mother. Authorities said Canzani approached her doorway and opened fire with a .45-caliber handgun, striking her multiple times before fleeing the scene in a Chevrolet Traverse.
Pedestrians ran for cover as Torres collapsed at her front door. Within an hour, Canzani walked into the 106th Precinct and confessed.
“Yeah, that’s the woman I shot,” he reportedly told detectives. According to prosecutors, he insisted the killing stemmed from a belief that Torres was “a witch” who had cast a spell meant to harm his family. He claimed she had warned him that a high-ranking NYPD official wanted to kill his wife—an allegation that prosecutors later characterized as delusional.
Inside the Defendant’s Troubled State of Mind
Following his arrest, the court approved a psychiatric evaluation. Canzani was found to suffer from depression and anxiety, though he was not receiving treatment at the time of the shooting. Prosecutors maintained that his mental health struggles did not justify the violence inflicted on Torres, who was unarmed and standing at the threshold of her own home when she was attacked.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz described the killing as a “senseless act of violence” that shattered a family and shocked the neighborhood. Torres’ son was working for the NYPD at the time of her death, a detail that added to the emotional weight of the case for local law enforcement.
Torres’ husband, David Aguilar, learned of her death while watching the news at work. His devastation quickly became public.
“She was the best wife, the best mother. He smashed my world,” Aguilar said through tears the day she died.
A Plea, a Sentence, and a Community Still Searching for Answers
In September, Canzani pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, avoiding a trial but not the consequences of his actions. On Thursday, Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder sentenced him to 23 years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision.
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Prosecutors said the plea ensured accountability while sparing Torres’ family the trauma of a lengthy trial. Still, many in the community remain haunted by the randomness and brutality of the attack.
Torres, remembered by neighbors as warm, generous, and deeply spiritual, leaves behind a family still grappling with her sudden loss. Aguilar, who often spoke publicly about his grief, described her as someone who “didn’t have a bad bone in her body.”
A Case Rooted in Misbelief and Spiral of Fear
Authorities said that while Canzani and Torres knew each other “to some extent,” the exact depth of their relationship remains unclear. What is clear is that the defendant’s paranoia had escalated dramatically in the weeks leading up to the shooting.
Canzani insisted that inexplicable forces were targeting him and that Torres held the key. “You would think I’m crazy,” he told detectives, describing a perceived supernatural threat that prosecutors said had no basis in reality.
His statements illustrated the degree to which untreated mental illness can escalate into violence—especially when fueled by fear, misinformation, and isolation.
A Community Looks for Closure
Though the sentencing offers a measure of resolution, members of the Ozone Park community say it will take time to heal from the shock of losing a familiar face in such a violent manner. Torres’ family expressed hope that the conclusion of the case will help them move forward, even as the emotional void persists.
Your Thoughts?
Should mental health evaluations play a larger role in violent crimes fueled by delusions? How can communities better protect vulnerable individuals from harm? Share your perspective in the comments.
